In the field of computers, integrated circuit packages or components mounted on circuit boards require power for operation. This power consumption leads to heat generation. This heat generation creates the need for a cooling apparatus to keep the temperature of the circuits in the required range for operation.
The common device used to cool the components mounted on a printed circuit board is a heat sink that runs either along the top or the bottom side of the circuit board. These heat sinks may be either air or liquid cooled. In order to ensure that the heat flows freely from the heat producing component to the heat sink, only a small gap between the heat producing component and the heat sink may be allowed.
For common style integrated circuit package designs, the heat sink attaches directly to the surface of the package. These common style package designs include pin grid array, flat packs, ball grid arrays, and other styles known to those skilled in the art. These common style packages are durable enough so that the heat sink may attach directly to the package surface without causing damage to the package or interfering with the connection between the package and the circuit board.
In TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) integrated circuit package designs, the leads extend from the package from two or more sides and are attached the package to the circuit board through soldering or other methods known to those skilled in the art. The leads are thin and placed closely together, permitting a higher density interconnect system.
The TAB manufacturing process creates a more fragile connection between the circuit board and the integrated circuit package than do the other common styles of integrated circuit packages mentioned above. Therefore, the direct application of a heat sink to a TAB integrated circuit package creates the risk of damage to the package or to the leads that connect the package to the circuit board. A method and apparatus, therefore, is need to provide mechanical integrity for a cooling device that can be used in conjunction with a TAB integrated circuit package.